states. and a new willingness to open up personally. today about glen dougherty, a navy s.e.a.l. romney met at a party. >> you can imagine how i felt when i found out he was one of the two form he s.e.a.l.s killed in bell gazay on september 11th. and it touched me, obviously. >> reporter: after the debate in denver, romney soared to a lead over president obama nationally among likely voters. in the pugh poll and the gallup survey. but they are seeing his numbers go down. >> definitely he got a bump but as we track it friday, saturday, sunday, we think some of that is dissipati dissipating. >> reporter: today as president obama traveled to ohio, gallup put him behind by just two points. last night in san francisco, the president mocked romney. >> somebody is cracking down on big bird. >> reporter: he put up a cable tv ad. >> it's me. big bird. >> big. yellow. a menace to our economy. mitt romney knows it is not wall street you have to worry about. it's sesame street. >> reporter: team obama ev